Chapter 204: 204

In a small cafe in front of the Awakeners Authority, Bak Yun-gyu was waiting for Su-hyeun, who just arrived .

“Oh, Hello . Mr . Su-hyeun . ”

“Please, sit down . Don’t get up for me . That’s too much . ”

Su-hyeun stopped Bak Yun-gyu, who was about to stand up and salute . He stopped in the middle of standing but didn’t sit back down until Su-hyeun sat down .

Su-hyeun knew Bak Yun-gyu’s personality . So, he sighed a little and hurriedly sat in the chair . The cafe was filled with a soft coffee smell and gentle music . It was a place where Su-hyeun came whenever he visited the Authority .

“You really like these kinds of places,” Bak Yun-gyu said .

“Yea? Do you think it doesn’t suit me?”

“There’s a saying that a hero likes to drink, and I thought you would, too . ”

Su-hyeun smiled at Bak Yun-gyu’s words . Soon, the waitress brought coffee for him . He breathed the scent of coffee .

“I don’t like alcohol much . I didn’t drink it well before I became an awakener . ”

Su-hyeun lifted his coffee cup . He liked coffee, but he couldn’t enjoy it often . So, whenever he had to meet someone, he insisted on meeting in a cafe . He wanted to drink a cup of coffee, at least during the meeting .

“Is that so?”

“My face turned red after just one drink . Well . After I became an awakener, no matter how many times I drink, it just tastes like bitter water . ”

“It seems like everyone feels different about the taste of alcohol . Some drink because of the mood, some drink for the flavor, some drink to be drunk . ”

“Well, coffee is the same . Some people don’t like it because of the bitter flavor . But I like it, though . ”

“I like something sweet like this smoothie, though I’ve been glugging it,” Bak Yun-gyu said, shaking a plastic cup that was almost empty .

Su-hyeun took a sip of coffee and moved on to the main subject . “So, Geneva wanted to see me?”

“Yes . He’s probably on his way by now . ”

“He’s late . ”

“He’s probably never waited for anyone before . You know about Geneva’s position these days,” Bak Yun-gyu said .

Su-hyeun put his cup down on the table and asked, “Do you think my position is different?”

“…”

Bak Yun-gyu read Su-hyeun’s face, not saying anything . He had been dealing with people for a long time and had good sense, too . So, he could tell Su-hyeun’s feelings were a little hurt .

Geneva was the one who wanted to see him, but now he was late . He was treating Su-hyeun like a subordinate or something . Moreover, Su-hyeun’s words weren’t wrong . In a comparison of value between Su-hyeun and Geneva, Su-hyeun wasn’t at all below Geneva . Perhaps, in terms of value, Su-hyeun would be far above .

Bak Yun-gyu, who was only here as an intermediary, became agonized . They talked about this and that for about 30 minutes, and finally, someone entered the cafe . There were two western men: a middle-aged man who seemed to be in his late forties, and a young, tall, muscular man .

“I’m late . A sudden appointment with the director came up . ”

The middle-aged man was American with a hooked nose, thick brows, sharp, point eyes . He had a wide body and thick forearms . He was Geneva .

“Nice to meet you, Su-hyeun . I heard you are fluent in English . Would you mind if I just speak English, then?”

“You are quite late,” Su-hyeun said Geneva, looking at him as he sat down .

Su-hyeun’s words were sharp, with no greeting for Geneva . Geneva burst into laughter without a hint of embarrassment, as if he knew it was going to happen .

“Ha-ha . I’m so sorry . As I said before, the appointment with the director was booked all of a—”

“And I was pushed back . And you were apparently too busy to call . ”

At Su-hyeun’s words, Geneva still stayed calm . He sat across from Su-hyeun, whom Park Yoon-gyu gave way, without losing his smile at his mouth .

“Oh, I guess I’ve upset you . That’s why I prepared this . ”

Geneva made an eye gesture and the attendant who followed him brought out a long wooden box and handed it to Su-hyeun .

“This is a sword I made . I don’t know if you ever heard of it, but it’s one of my top hundred masterpieces . So, please take it . I hope it can soothe your pride . ”

“Geneva’s top hundred masterpieces?” Bak Yun-gyu, who was listening to their conversation next to them, opened his eyes wide .

They were the best items that Geneva had ever made and were known for being very rare and priceless items .

“I made this sword recently . It’s been a while since I made a rarity like this . Oh, don’t feel too sorry to accept it . I’m just giving it to you as an apology, and I don’t have any other meaning . Ha-ha . ”

Geneva laughed broadly and pushed the sword to Su-hyeun once more . Su-hyeun looked at the sword in the box .

>

Su-hyeun understood somewhat the reason why Geneva had been late . It probably was true that he had a sudden urgent meeting in the middle . Su-hyeun had no idea how important the meeting was, to delay the meeting with himself, but he could guess Geneva had hidden intentions .

Geneva had been late without any notice and gave a present to Su-hyeun . Many people, including Park Yoon-gyu, knew how valuable Geneva’s top hundred masterpieces were .

And, if Su-hyeun used Geneva’s item, it would cause another sensation . A sword used by the world’s best awakener . Geneva was both a blacksmith and a businessman . He hadn’t come to flatter Su-hyeun and sing his praises . If he had, he wouldn’t have made Su-hyeun wait like this .

Bak Yun-gyu thought .

He had heard about Geneva’s reputation as a sly fox, and he looked like one . Now that he had actually met him in person and saw how he used his brain, Bak Yun-gyu could tell why people had talked about him like that . He shook his head . If Geneva insisted like that, there was nothing he could say .

“An apology…,” Su-hyeun muttered .

But Su-hyeun didn’t seem to feel better about it . Su-hyeun just stared at the wooden box that held the sword . At his behavior, Geneva’s smile began to shrink . It looked like he hadn’t expected such a reaction .

“Is there something wrong?” Geneva asked .

“Well . I just don’t want to accept an apology that didn’t come from your heart . Also, I don’t need this thing . ”Unlike Geneva, Su-hyeun smiled broadly . “I just need your sincere apology . Just take it back, please . ”

At Su-hyeun’s words, Geneva’s smile disappeared entirely . “Are you sure?”

“Yes . ” Su-hyeun raised his coffee cup again . “Although you don’t look that sincere . ”

“…Well . I am sorry about that . I thought you would really love it . ”

“I already have an excellent sword . I don’t need a new one,” Su-hyeun said, tapping the sword that he had put on his knees . It was Kim Dae-ho’s work, named Balmung .

Geneva changed his facial expression . He realized the sword of the world’s best awakener would be different from others somehow .

“May I see your sword?”

“Sure . ”

Su-hyeun held out Balmung with the scabbard . Geneva drew the sword .

Schwing—

The sword came out with a clear sound . Geneva looked at the sword and admired it . “It’s really a good sword . ”

“You can tell just by looking at it?”

“It looks like it has middle or higher than middle-grade Ether stones in it . I can sense a slight flow of magic . I guess it has some sort of magical device . ”

The flow of magic meant Blamung’s principal cutting force . Surely, he was the world’s most famous blacksmith . He quickly recognized Balmung’s value . Of course, not all of his answers were correct .

Those two were Balmung’s core metals . Of course, it was almost impossible to see it at a glance and guess that . It would be the same for Kim Dae-ho, not just Geneva .

Su-hyeun acknowledged Geneva’s ability . But that was about it .

He had obviously made many great masterpieces . Su-hyeun could admit that . Geneva’s best masterpiece, the Armor of Hades, was considered to be the strongest armor in the world right now . But swords were a different story . There was no reason to even look at it . Moreover, the sword he brought was for a purpose .

“Are you doing all this because of this shabby sword? I mean, it’s certainly a good one . I guess you found this in the tower—”

Not surprisingly, Geneva, who didn’t notice the real value of Balmung, still hadn’t given up his pride in his sword . What Geneva was saying just went in one of Su-hyeun’s ears and out the other . As Geneva kept talking, Su-hyeun became a little annoyed, although he was in the position to accept the gift .

Su-hyeun knew this gift wasn’t because Geneva felt sorry or anything . So, he didn’t want to accept the present . Moreover, if he received this gift right at the moment, Geneva would surely spread it through the media . And then, Kim Dae-ho would know about it as well .

Su-hyeun thought that far and sighed slightly . Geneva was still talking . Su-hyeun raised his hand to stop him .

“Anyway, just tell me why you wanted to see me . Since you showed up pretty late, I don’t have much time left for another appointment . ”

“Do you have another appointment right after this?”

“Yes . I have to leave soon . ”

Su-hyeun didn’t intend to talk long with Geneva in the first place . Geneva was upset about that and tried to argue, but had nothing to say . He was the one who was a half-hour late, and it was true that time ran out because of that .

“I’m sorry, but could you give us a minute?” Geneva asked Bak Yun-gyu .

Bak Yun-gyu read the situation and got up . Anyway, his role was only to connect the two people . And since the two had met, and they would talk about some secret things, there was no reason for Bak Yun-gyu to stay .

“Then, I’ll see you next time . ” Bak Yun-gyu bowed his head slightly to Su-hyeun and left the cafe .

Now, there was only Geneva, his attendant, and Su-hyeun . Su-hyeun waited for Geneva to speak .

“I’ll tell you straight away, you don’t seem to like to mince words, and you don’t have time . ”

It was the first thing Geneva had said all day that Su-hyeun liked to hear .

When Su-hyeun nodded, Geneva put his hands on the table and said, “Would you like to do business with me?”